Georgia’s breakaway republics seek recognition

RIA Novosti Tbilisi (Georgia), March 6 (RIA Novosti) South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Georgia’s two breakaway republics, have stepped up efforts to get their claims for independence recognised by the international community. The parliament in South Ossetia, a territory with a population of less than 100,000, has sent an appeal to the UN, the European Union, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Russia to recognise the country as a sovereign entity.

The document, posted on the government’s official website, said: “Seventeen years of South Ossetia’s de facto independence proves the republic’s viability, and its sovereignty needs to be legitimised by the UN Charter.”

Abkhazia, the other unrecognised republic with a population of around 200,000, also has plans to reiterate its calls for recognition of its self-proclaimed independence by Russia and major international organisations later this week.

“We are not ending our efforts in this direction and we appeal to the Russian parliament and international organisations, in particular the UN, demanding recognition,” said Sergei Shamba, foreign minister of the self-proclaimed republic.

Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, is to discuss the issue of the former Soviet republics March 13.

Shortly after Kosovo declared independence Feb 17, both Abkhazia and South Ossetia that were involved in armed conflicts after proclaiming independence from Georgia in 1991, said Kosovo’s independence should be taken into account as far as their sovereignty is concerned.

Russia has repeatedly said the recognition of the Balkan region’s independence will set a precedent for other breakaway regions, including in the former Soviet Union.

The Russian parliament said in a statement in late February that Kosovo’s independence gives Russia the right to forge new relationships with self-proclaimed states. RIA Novosti